Thought to be the two best teams in the area’s most challenging soccer league last fall, Calvert Hall and McDonogh split a pair of regular season encounters before meeting in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship match.

The Cardinals prevailed in that taut overtime battle, 2-1, to claim the title last November.

On Friday afternoon in Owings Mills, the rivals met for the first time this season and No. 1 Calvert Hall (2-0) again had the magic touch in overtime. This time it was senior midfielder Ben Madore’s “Golden Goal” at the 2:14 mark of the first overtime that doomed the Eagles to a 1-0 setback.

That said, McDonogh, down four injured starters, held the powerful Cardinals in check for most of regulation until they appeared to tire — and Calvert Hall ramped up its attack — in overtime.

Madore said that even though McDonogh was missing several of its best players, the hosts “came out pressing us — props to them. They’re a great team with a great coach.”

That coach, McDonogh’s Brandon Quaranta, said that he’s seen Madore’s scoring skills many times while coaching the Penn State-bound star for Pipeline Soccer Club.

The Eagles, who fell to 0-2 after opening the season with a 2-0 loss to Archbishop Spalding, started freshmen Zach Johnson, Drew Goodrich and Maddox Christian — and had to be happy with their play, if not the result of the match.

“With four guys out (at least two of whom are slated to return this season), we had a really good effort today against one of the best teams in the country,” Quaranta said. “But the reality is now we have to make game-winning plays. We have to find that extra gear.”

Both teams probed for goals early, with McDonogh junior Kobe Keomany’s strike forcing Calvert Hall senior keeper Nate Jones to make a diving stab. Eagle sophomore goalie Jason Broome did the same to thwart Calvert Hall senior Gabe Gilkin in the 25th minute.

Early in the second half, Calvert Hall senior forward Richie Monath’s shot went wide after Madore won a 50-50 ball near the sideline and slid him a pass.

McDonogh nearly broke through in the 54th minute on sophomore Bogue Hahn’s rocket that whistled wide right.

Monath and Madore both missed direct kicks inside the 10-minute mark of the second period and senior midfielder Tyler Flynn’s 35-yard blast was another opportunity gone awry for the Cardinals.

In overtime, Calvert Hall dominated the scoring opportunities with Flynn just missing the net and Broome making an outstanding sliding save on junior Justin Crow before junior forward Ryan Belal came up inches short of a header.

With the Cardinals pushing forward, the Eagles’ counter gave the visitors some anxious moments until senior Mike Markel’s 18-yarder was denied by Jones.

It took Madore to close out the game and secure his first goal of the year, although he said that junior Rocco Pastore’s ability to win balls in the air and Monath’s possession along the sideline kept the Cardinals in full attack mode.

“Rocco was winning every ball with his head and Richie made a nice (outer foot) turn (before passing),” he said. “I got the ball and squared up my defender……thank God it went in.”

Calvert Hall coach Rich Zinkand said that his team was trying to be too perfect by striving for spectacular plays over simple ones.

“I thought in the last 10 minutes (of regulation) we were getting a hold of it,” he said. “Fortunately, Ben was able to finish. He’s a big-time player, and big-time players make big plays.”

NO. 1 CALVERT HALL 1, NO. 5 MCDONOGH O (OT)

CHC O O 1 — 1

MCD 0 O 0 — 0

Goals: CHC-Ben Madore

Saves: CHC-Nate Jones 4; McD-Jason Broome 4